


Part of Life

by Merfilly



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-17
Updated: 2013-10-17
Packaged: 2017-12-29 16:24:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1007530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A slice of life wedged around Iron Man 2, showing a beginning of something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Part of Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kitty (Tamoline)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamoline/gifts).



"Congratulations on the new position," Natalie said, something in her tone different than anything Pepper had heard from others.

Pepper tried to ignore it, tried to keep her pique at Tony and his maneuvers as a guard against the other woman. But it did feel nice to hear the words said sincerely, with an edge of respect.

"I am not looking for a sycophantic, boot-licking praiser -- " Pepper began.

"Good. I'm not any of that. I am, however, a fully qualified and competent administrative assistant." Natalie met Pepper's eyes evenly. "While Pepper Potts may have successfully made Tony Stark actually work as a brand and as a mogul, I sincerely doubt you can be both the queen and the high priestess of Stark Industries all at once. Mister Stark seemed to believe I would suit this position… just as he was certain you could perform your new duties."

Pepper dropped her eyes briefly, then pursed her lips and looked up again. "How do you know he doesn't just want a pair of legs to look at when he stops in?"

Natalie smiled. "Because he has you." The other woman then shifted a folder to Pepper's attention. "Everything you need to sign today that's been vetted already. The folder on your desk needs more in-depth analysis before you sign off. Is there anything else I can do to ease the start of your day, Ms. Potts?"

"I'll get back to you on that," Pepper answered, as she digested the way Natalie seemed sincere in everything that had been said, and yet….

Pepper's instincts were set toward defensive, and if Tony wasn't the reason why, then what was crawling under her skin about the other woman?

* * *

"You're still here."

Natalie looked up as Pepper came in and all but fell into a chair. "Risk of further attacks warrants my presence."

"But you will be leaving."

Natalie tipped her head to one side. "I've taken the liberty of organizing a pool of candidates to replace me."

Pepper gave a wan little smile her way. "Efficient." She then shook her head, breathing out a sigh. "I didn't want to like you. I knew something wasn't quite right."

"From any other person, I'd call that 'wishful thinking', but not from you. I knew you were suspicious and tried to orient our encounters so that I could protect my cover. It's what I do."

"You're good at it." Pepper then mulled over the rest of that sentence. "Why? Why from me? Tony was blindsided."

"Stark sees the world through cynical eyes, and that blinds him, often, to the true danger of those closest to him. As evidenced by the actions that brought Iron Man into the public's eye." Natalie leaned back from her desk as she gave Pepper most of her attention. "You are… especially clever at people. If you were not so necessary here, and so committed, I would push for your recruitment to SHIELD, based on how you perceive and analyze people with minimal facts, and a very low error rate."

Pepper had to laugh at that. "Well, you'd be out of luck, because typically speaking, I prefer to not help make decisions about world order."

"Don't you?" Natalie swept one hand out to indicate the building they were in. 

"This's a company, not an arm of some shadowy government agenda," Pepper retorted.

"The world is corporations, Pepper. What power the governments still have is built on an illusion, because the economy is where true power lies, and Stark Industries controls a solid percentage of the American economy. Either directly, or through the competitors who're trying to claw their own niche out through imitation."

Pepper listened, weighed the thoughts, and finally shook her head. "That may have been the senior Stark's idea, but Tony just wants…" she paused, looking for the right words, "to create. And he's got a stronger idea of what and how to do that, with fewer power-mongering reaches now."

"That doesn't change the facts." Natalie looked at everything on the desk, then back to Pepper. "SHIELD will keep an eye here, not out of concern the power is going badly. Not right now, not with you and Tony fully vetted on stability… for certain values thereof. But because you do matter, you have gifts and skills that could one day save the planet, and SHIELD needs access. Quid pro quo, with our end being an open check."

"What happens when Tony says 'no' to whatever they ask for?" Pepper asked, a little uneasy.

"It won't be asked unless you know. Do you really think, based on what you do know of me, that we'll ask things that go against the conscience of a man that turned his entire company away from its prize money-maker to pursue peace?"

Pepper considered that for long moments, then met Natalie's eyes directly. "I have a demand to place on the table. Everything you need him for comes to me first… and you keep me up to date on situations that could spiral up to the level of needing Iron Man."

Natalie gave a smile, and Pepper knew she'd walked into just what the SHIELD agent wanted.

"Deal." She stood and held out a hand after crossing to Pepper. Pepper shook it, then stood. 

"As my last demand, I think you should let me take you to dinner, as a farewell to my assistant." Pepper smiled. "And as an apology for being suspicious enough to make your job harder."

Natalie smiled at that. "I accept."

* * *

"Do I call you Natalie or Natasha now?" Pepper asked, some hours later as they both relaxed in Pepper's suite.

"Which do you prefer?"

Pepper giggled; the wine had been flowing far too much at dinner, even though Natalie-Natasha didn't look as if she'd had a sip. "That's not an answer. You tell me who I am supposed to … no, tell what I am supposed to call you."

Natalie shook her head, a slight smile on her lips. "If I am on SHIELD time, and not undercover, I am the Widow, or Black Widow. If I show up at Stark Industries looking like Natalie, I am Natalie."

"But who are you when we just… see each other, no business on the table, no pretenses, nothing but two women taking time off from being kick-ass at what we do… oops." Pepper covered her mouth, laughter bubbling up again. "Being very good at what we do," she corrected once the laughter was under control.

Natalie tipped her head a little, her eyes locking down the storm within, but Pepper glimpsed it for just a moment, and she shifted to lean forward across the open space to take Natalie's hand.

"If… that was out of line…. I know Tony sometimes has a hard time knowing which one he is," she said, worry in her own voice and face for fear of losing what could be a solid friendship. Well, she amended, as solid as any relationship with a superspy could be.

"I am Natasha," the woman declared firmly, but she did not take back her hand. "However… you are part of Natalie's life, if that helps?"

Pepper drew in a deep breath, pushing away the buzz as best she could. "And what if I want to be part of Natasha's life?"

The SHIELD agent pulled her hands free then, pulling back even into the chair, and assuming a serious mein. "Natasha's life can be… bad for civilians."

"I'm really not one, not anymore," Pepper said. "Tony. Iron Man. Civilian, in the way you used it, is not who I am anymore."

Natasha considered, and then she leaned forward again, letting Pepper clasp her hands again. "Then perhaps, Pepper, I will have room for you in my life in more ways than one."

"Good." Pepper squeezed once and let go. "I think I could not ask for a better woman to have as a friend."

They met each other's eyes, letting their own doubts and complications shift away for this moment, before Natasha looked at Pepper with a raised eyebrow.

"Friend only?"

Pepper's mouth dropped, and then she blushed, lost for words in the wine's aftermath.

"There is Tony…"

Natasha switched from where she was sitting to take the other part of Pepper's loveseat. "Exclusively?" Natasha pressed. "You want to be a part of my life, and my life is more complicated than Natalie's," she warned Pepper.

Pepper gathered her disarray of emotions and pulled them together. "Are you trying to fluster me so you can run away? Or are you reaching out because you can see I'm scared to death of losing him and having nothing?"

Natasha cupped Pepper's cheek in a hand. "Our lives… they ride too close to death. Sometimes a man can make you live. Sometimes, though…"

Pepper nodded into that hand. "So… if he crashes, or when it's too much…"

"I'll be there." Natasha leaned in, kissing her lightly to seal the deal.


End file.
